The 8 standard FEMA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) forms are designed to document key information during disasters, ensuring accountability and effective communication between field teams and the Incident Command (IC) post.
Here are the 8 primary CERT forms used for field documentation:
- CERT Form 1: Damage Assessment Form
Used to document structural damage, utility hazards, fires, and injuries observed while surveying neighborhoods. - CERT Form 2: Personnel Resources Check-in Form
Used to sign in volunteers as they arrive at the staging location to track who is on site, arrival times, and special skills. - CERT Form 3: Assignment Tracking Log
Used by the Incident Command/Team Leader to track the assignments given to specific teams. - CERT Form 4: Briefing Assignment
Provides specific instructions to functional teams regarding their mission and safety information. - CERT Form 5: Victim Treatment Area Log
Completed by medical personnel to record victims entering the treatment area, their injuries, and their status. - CERT Form 6: Communications Log
Used by radio operators to log all incoming and outgoing radio transmissions. - CERT Form 7: Equipment Inventory
Used to track the check-in and check-out of CERT-managed equipment. - CERT Form 8: General Message
Used for transmitting specific messages between command levels and groups, ensuring documentation of critical info such as additional resource requests.
Additional Documentation
- ICS-214 Form (Activity Log): While not in the primary 8, this FEMA Incident Command System form is frequently used to record significant activities.
- Head to Toe Assessment Form: Used to document detailed medical assessments for individual victims.